Where to hunt Grey Partridge
Many mid-sized game birds that adapt well to agricultural landscapes go by the name of partridge, but the Grey Partridge is the queen of them all. The native habitat of grey partridge are the moderate and steppe belt of Europe (except the Iberian and Italian peninsulas and the south of France) and Asia. However, the birds have been introduced to many countries. In Hungary the partridges were so abundant that they were captured and sold by the thousand to people who wanted to stock their preserves - that’s why the bird is known as “Hungarian partridge” in the US and Canada. Grey partridge is often referred to simply as “partridge”, so you might want to check out the Partridge hunting page on our website as well.
Countries
Price distribution
Some Grey Partridge hunts can sell for as low as $200-$300, but may go up to $2,500 a hunter a day for large-scale driven hunt that involve a lot of preparation but reward with generous harvest. Exotic hunts, such as falconry hunts in Azerbaijan, may cost from $2,500 up, but bear in mind that the price may not include accommodation and other similar costs.
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Learn more from our blog story
For centuries, ever since humans invented agriculture, the partridge thrived on or near the fields, feeding on grain and insects. And for centuries people turned the tables on the birds, taking them for food and recreation. The partridge stood at the beginning of many hunting traditions, including falconry and hunting over pointing dogs.
23 Jun 2019 A Heritage of the Renaissance: The origin and appeal of hunting over pointing dogsWhen to hunt Grey Partridge?
Traditionally, partridge hunting began during or after the harvest time for wheat and other cereals, in late August or early September. These days, with shooting estates and game farms, one may find an opportunity to hunt grey partridge year round, but the fall is still the best time for partridge hunting. Early season is usually considered more suitable for hunting over pointing dogs, while connoisseurs of driven hunts prefer the crisp clear days of late autumn.
Hunting methods
Grey partridge hunting has rich and ancient traditions, especially in Europe. Such methods as walking up in line, when hunters cross the fields in a horsheshoe-shaped formation, or driven hunts, when a line of drivers, or “beaters” in British English, is pushing the birds to the hunters (or “guns”), are relatively modern inventions, but are already ritualized and elevated to the status of a classic. Hunting the birds with the help of pointing dogs is a much older pursuit, dating back to the Renaissance. One of the oldest ways of partridge hunting is falconry, when partridges are captured by specially trained birds of prey. In some countries there still are ample opportunities for this pursuit, and BookYourHunt.com may provide you with a ticket to immerse in this ancient tradition.
Why hunt Grey Partridge?
Isn’t it amazing how such a little bird can stir such strong emotions? Who could stay calm when a covey of over a dozen partridges flushes right next to you, with a flutter of wings and an unexpectedly colorful plumage? Their flight, so treacherously direct, presents some of the greatest challenges for a wing shot, and in the course of British classic driven “shoots” even the best shots miss 4 out of 10 times they pull the trigger. And what about the sight of a good pointer, quartering away at full gallop, suddenly stop, take a few careful steps, and freeze like a canine stature, all muscles tense, awaiting the handler’s command to flush the birds? Or a falcon diving deep on the escaping covey, hitting the least it or the least lucky one with its talons?
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